Abstract
A study of the phase stability, chemical bonding and mechanisms of electrical conduction of carbon-added amorphous Sb films was carried out. Addition of carbon, which results in the formation of C-Sb bonds, hinders long-range Sb-Sb ordering. This leads to enhanced thermal stability of amorphous Sb film. The crystallization temperature of Sb-C films with 0, 8 and 13 at.% C are ∼25, 256 and 262 °C, respectively. The electrical conductivity of Sb 92 C 8 film is p-type, showing an increase of more than 4 orders of magnitude in carrier concentration upon crystallization corresponding to the observed resistance drop. © 2011 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.